MY BACK PAGES : All I leave behind is only what I've found

*** The following was written while on the plane to America somewhere of the Pacific. ***   

Although it's over a month old, I made the decision to go ahead and post it on here as the first of many for 2011. Rather than have this piece discarded into the archives of other Asian events, I thought it would make for a  good example of  the excitement, ignorance, and anticipation I was experiencing while at the same time preparing for 

 what lie ahead.  The interesting part about this "dated piece" is how much has changed in that short span of time since writing the about my return home.  

However here it is uncut, in its original from ; A mini time capsule if you will.

“ Been around the world in a dirty gondola.

  Oh to be back in the land of Coca Cola”

-       Bob Dylan

"The KoreaCoaster"

In what seems like a lifetime, this Friday, after 17 months abroad, I make my return home. Currently a wide range of  feelings  and emotions  are swirling through my head  some good some bad.  My whole experience in Asia has been a rollercoaster of weird fun, awkwardness.  I don’t even think Cedar Point can top the drastic ups, downs, turn, and loops that this place with take you through.  

With that being said, I wonder how much, if any, has life changed in my world back in America.  Since making Seoul, my home away from home, I often get swept up in the madness here.   It’s probably going to  take a day to overcome the jet lag, but I don’t know if I’ll ever re-adjust  to the pace of rual Ohio.   I think Nelson Mandala said it best when he said.

“There‘s nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered. “

So, before  I look forward to a return home, and  a new year . I  want to look back on the last 17 months, to see the events that have helped forever alter my life.  Here are 17 experiences  in which I know have had a lasting affect on me.

17  Asian Events that  altered my world. 

(in no particular order)

1.                                                 

      1. Trekking along the Great Wall:  Obviously.

    2.     Being Stung by a Jellyfish in the Gulf of Thailand

     3.  Eating Dog

4. Couch Surfing

5. Motorbiking the mountains of Northern Thailand  

6. Hong Kong.

7. Eating Live Octopus

8. Meditation class.  

9.   Daily life in  Korea.  

10. Chinese New in China

11. Tim  & Derek  visit  Seoul.

12.  Life as an ESL teacher

13.  Bob Dylan:
 Front row  live in Seoul 

14.  Eating  scorpion 

15. Life as a minority  

          16.  Soju &  Makoli

17. Chopsticks  

Well there you have it.  My Asian experience in a nutshell.  I hope 2011 will be just as eventful, and I can’t wait to bring it in with my family and friends, and the place where it all began.

Merry Christmas America.
Here I come. 

-Nick

  

*** The following was written while on the plane to America somewhere of the Pacific. ***   

Although it's over a month old, I made the decision to go ahead and post it on here as the first of many for 2011. Rather than have this piece discarded into the archives of other Asian events, I thought it would make for a  good example of  the excitment, ignorance, and anticipation I was experiencing while preparing 

for what lie ahead.  The interesting part about this "dated piece" is how much has changed in that short span of time since writing the about my return home.